Former Forest Green boss David Hockaday to take over at Leeds tomorrow

FORMER Forest Green boss David Hockaday is set to be named Leeds United’s new head coach tomorrow.

Hockaday’s appointment was likely to materialise in the next 24 hours after Reading priced Eamonn Dolan out of the vacancy at Elland Road.

Dolan - Reading’s academy manager - emerged as left field chairman Massimo Cellino’s first choice for the post and looked set to secure it a week ago but Cellino returned his focus to Hockaday after refusing to meet Reading’s demand for around £500,000 in compensation.

Fifty-six-year-old Hockaday has been out of work since his four-year reign at Forest Green ended last October.

Cellino is understood to have been impressed with Hockaday's coaching credentials in two lengthy meeting between the pair.

His record shows spells as a coach with Leicester City and Southampton and he worked as assistant manager at Watford, operating under Aidy Boothroyd in the year that Watford beat Leeds in the Championship play-off final. He also worked alongside current Leeds assistant manager Nigel Gibbs at Vicarage Road.

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If Hockaday does secure the head coach’s job at Elland Road, he is likely to add Junior Lewis to United’s coaching staff.

The employment of Lewis, who coaches non-league Hendon and had a long playing career in the Football League, is believed to have been discussed by Cellino and Hockaday during talks between the pair.

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